A thread for wrongdoers during the crisis

[Craig234]

I don't like them getting much attention, but it's worth being aware of some of the activities, so this thread can be a dumping ground for the stories. I've already covered trump. Here's another.

A real estate investor bought and closed down a 500 bed hospital.

The city wants it open. He sees his opportunity, and is demanding $1 million per month rent, knowing they need the hospital.

Progressives, including Bernie, are saying the city should seize it.

'Seize It': Progressives Urge Philadelphia City Govt. to Take Hahnemann Hospital After Owner Demands $1 Million a Month in Rent | Common Dreams News

 

[washunut]

I don't like them getting much attention, but it's worth being aware of some of the activities, so this thread can be a dumping ground for the stories. I've already covered trump. Here's another.

A real estate investor bought and closed down a 500 bed hospital.

The city wants it open. He sees his opportunity, and is demanding $1 million per month rent, knowing they need the hospital.

Progressives, including Bernie, are saying the city should seize it.

'Seize It': Progressives Urge Philadelphia City Govt. to Take Hahnemann Hospital After Owner Demands $1 Million a Month in Rent | Common Dreams News

I think there would be wide calls for this hospitable takeover. All people of common sense,not just progressives should join together on this one.

 

[Mongidig]

Do it!

 

[Marrybore]

I think there would be wide calls for this hospitable takeover. All people of common sense,not just progressives should join together on this one.

It's a War, after all.

 

[Chillfolks]

Two wrongs dont make a right.

 

[Felis Leo]

I think there would be wide calls for this hospitable takeover. All people of common sense,not just progressives should join together on this one.

Takeover how? It is private property. Eminent domain is a viable solution, but the city would have to pay fair compensation for its purchase.

 

[Felis Leo]

I don't like them getting much attention, but it's worth being aware of some of the activities, so this thread can be a dumping ground for the stories. I've already covered trump. Here's another.

A real estate investor bought and closed down a 500 bed hospital.

The city wants it open. He sees his opportunity, and is demanding $1 million per month rent, knowing they need the hospital.

Progressives, including Bernie, are saying the city should seize it.

'Seize It': Progressives Urge Philadelphia City Govt. to Take Hahnemann Hospital After Owner Demands $1 Million a Month in Rent | Common Dreams News

"Seize it." By what right? The "We're the government and we can do whatever we want" clause?

If its government wants, the City could certainly purchase it from him.

 

[Condor060]

I don't like them getting much attention, but it's worth being aware of some of the activities, so this thread can be a dumping ground for the stories. I've already covered trump. Here's another.

A real estate investor bought and closed down a 500 bed hospital.

The city wants it open. He sees his opportunity, and is demanding $1 million per month rent, knowing they need the hospital.

Progressives, including Bernie, are saying the city should seize it.

'Seize It': Progressives Urge Philadelphia City Govt. to Take Hahnemann Hospital After Owner Demands $1 Million a Month in Rent | Common Dreams News

I'm with Bernie.

 

[washunut]

Takeover how? It is private property. Eminent domain is a viable solution, but the city would have to pay fair compensation for its purchase.

That is what I would call a legal takeover.

 

[Felis Leo]

That is what I would call a legal takeover.

The problem noted in the article seems to be that the City does not have the money to either purchase the building or pay to lease the building. They essentially want the owner to keep the hospital open and eat the cost, which is insane. I can only imagine how much general liability insurance would cost if he were required to open the hospital, to say nothing of the buildings utility costs.

 

[upsideguy]

Takeover how? It is private property. Eminent domain is a viable solution, but the city would have to pay fair compensation for its purchase.

..and, since it was recently purchased, there is an excellent comp upon which to draw.... The man gets most of his money back.... actually he probably gets less than that as the opportunist probably overpaid because he was anxious to run his scam.... so he loses money on the deal, which would be fair.

 

[Felis Leo]

..and, since it was recently purchased, there is an excellent comp upon which to draw.... The man gets most of his money back.

Agreed, if the City can afford to pay it, they should do so.

Otherwise, if the City expects him or anyone else to open up a major medical facility and maintain general liability insurance on it and pay utilities while it is running at his own expense, I would certainly flat out refuse.

 

[aociswundumho]

Takeover how? It is private property. Eminent domain is a viable solution, but the city would have to pay fair compensation for its purchase.

They already considered that, but they can't afford to pay current market value.

 

[aociswundumho]

"Seize it." By what right? The "We're the government and we can do whatever we want" clause?

Yes. That's the world progressives want to live in - one where private property rights do not exist.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

I don't know if this meets your criteria for wrongdoing but:

Coronavirus is killing us in Florida,
Gov. DeSantis - Act like you give a damn

Friday, DeSantis mounted the bully pulpit to present House Speaker Jose Oliva, with a baseball bat inscribed with the words “Slayer of the healthcare industrial complex.”
It was a sophomoric bit of messaging on any day. It was inexcusably tone-deaf when the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Florida topped 500. At least 10 people had died since the crisis began.

Florida is home to one of the largest elderly populations in the country.
Given the criminally insane spring break gatherings all across the state in the last month, Florida is likely to wind up as home to the largest killing field in the history of this crisis, with the bodies of elderly snowbirds stacked up like cordwood everywhere.

 

[Felis Leo]

They already considered that, but they can't afford to pay current market value.

Well, perhaps he is being unfair to the city. But I do not know if his price for leasing the hospital is unreasonable or not. Maybe it is grossly over average lease costs and he is trying to make a quick buck off of a city in a desperate situation. Maybe he is offering to lease it at fair market value considering the costs he would have to pay as a hospital landlord which I presume has to cover incredibly expensive general liability insurance for an active hospital.

I do not pretend to know, but if anyone does, I would love to find out.

 

[aociswundumho]

Well, perhaps he is being unfair to the city. .

I meant the city already considered eminent domain, and rejected the idea because they don't have even close the money needed to provide just compensation for it. I just read it five minutes ago now I can't find it.

 

[TheDoctorWasIn]

Agreed, if the City can afford to pay it, they should do so.

Otherwise, if the City expects him or anyone else to open up a major medical facility and maintain general liability insurance on it and pay utilities while it is running at his own expense, I would certainly flat out refuse.

From what I understand, he is asking $1 million dollars a month to rent building from him - not for him to run the hospital.

I believe the city would run the hospital (or more likely, contract with one of the many hospitals in Philly to run it for them), on a temporary basis, until the crisis was over, at which point it would close again.

 

[Felis Leo]

From what I understand, he is asking $1 million dollars a month to rent building from him - not for him to run the hospital.

I believe the city would run the hospital (or more likely, contract with one of the many hospitals in Philly to run it for them), on a temporary basis, until the crisis was over, at which point it would close again.

I see. Well, not working in the area of hospital administration, I do not know whether this price for a short-term lease is outside the realm of reasonableness for a hospital of this size. A million dollars a month certain sounds expensive, because it is. But is this investor charging the city an over-inflated price because he is a vile opportunist who has the city over a barrel? Or is this within the realm of the typical hospital lease?

 

[TheDoctorWasIn]

I see. Well, not working in the area of hospital administration, I do not know whether this price for a short-term lease is outside the realm of reasonableness for a hospital of this size. A million dollars a month certain sounds expensive, because it is. But is this investor charging the city an over-inflated price because he is a vile opportunist who has the city over a barrel? Or is this within the realm of the typical hospital lease?

I dont think there's much of an established market rate for emergency renting of entire hospitals.

I know that the building is sitting empty right now, so it's not like the owner would be losing any money.

 

[apdst]

I don't like them getting much attention, but it's worth being aware of some of the activities, so this thread can be a dumping ground for the stories. I've already covered trump. Here's another.

A real estate investor bought and closed down a 500 bed hospital.

The city wants it open. He sees his opportunity, and is demanding $1 million per month rent, knowing they need the hospital.

Progressives, including Bernie, are saying the city should seize it.

'Seize It': Progressives Urge Philadelphia City Govt. to Take Hahnemann Hospital After Owner Demands $1 Million a Month in Rent | Common Dreams News

Lock his ass up, or pay him a fair market price, but he can't be expected to let them use the place for free.

 

[Felis Leo]

I dont think there's much of an established market rate for emergency renting of entire hospitals.

I know that the building is sitting empty right now, so it's not like the owner would be losing any money.

Well, I imagine there is a going rental rate for the private market. A medical group may run a business out of a facility that they do not own, but instead is a building owned by a private landlord.

And even if he were so generous as to let the city use the facility free of charge, I can certainly think of how an owner could lose (more) money: An accident happening on the property that was a result of the building itself.

For example, imagine the hospital a medical elevator that was not properly maintained gets stuck between floors for several hours, leading a patient with Coronavirus who has severe pulmonary issues to asphyxiate from pneumonia before the maintenance team arrives to get the elevator working again and the patient could be taken to a ventilator. Well, now the owner of the building is liable, and if he did not maintain good insurance, his company (or he personally if he is a sole proprietor) may be held liable for negligently failing to maintain the facility in the best condition. Charitable use of a facility might not free to the charitable soul who failed to maintain the best general liability insurance.

 

[TheDoctorWasIn]

Well, I imagine there is a going rental rate for the private market. A medical group may run a business out of a facility that they do not own, but instead is a building owned by a private landlord.

And even if he were so generous as to let the city use the facility free of charge, I can certainly think of how an owner could lose (more) money: An accident happening on the property that was a result of the building itself.

For example, imagine the hospital a medical elevator that was not properly maintained gets stuck between floors for several hours, leading a patient with Coronavirus severe pulmonary issues to asphyxiate from pneumonia before the maintenance team arrives to get the elevator working again and the patient could be taken to a ventilator. Well, now the owner of the building is liable, and if he did not maintain good insurance, his company (or he personally if he is a sole proprietor) may be held liable for negligently failing to maintain the facility in the best condition.

Even if there is a going rental rate - which I very much doubt exists in the context of a 500-bed hospital - this is not the private market, this is a public health emergency.

As for liability issues, those can easily be resolved by the lawyers during the structuring of the transaction.

 

[Integrityrespec]

The problem noted in the article seems to be that the City does not have the money to either purchase the building or pay to lease the building. They essentially want the owner to keep the hospital open and eat the cost, which is insane. I can only imagine how much general liability insurance would cost if he were required to open the hospital, to say nothing of the buildings utility costs.

How does the owner staff and equip it without someone paying for it? We just promised 3 relief bills totaling trillions of $$$ for just this purpose. Open the hospital and pay the fees from the relief bill, maybe the 100 million that went to Kenndedy Center and Endowment of the Arts, could open that hospital for 100 days to start with.

 

[TheDoctorWasIn]

How does the owner staff and equip it without someone paying for it? We just promised 3 relief bills totaling trillions of $$$ for just this purpose. Open the hospital and pay the fees from the relief bill, maybe the 100 million that went to Kenndedy Center and Endowment of the Arts, could open that hospital for 100 days to start with.

I don't believe the city is asking him to staff and equip the hospital - I believe they just want to use the building.